War Party
by M. Schreck
Summary: This is a story I wrote to fullfill a request.  I am also incorporating some "constructive criticism" someone included in their review of my last story.  I hope you enjoy it.  Please review it so that I know which direction you would like me to go in.
1. Chapter 1

War Party

Chapter One

Blood, the smell, the taste, the mere sight of it, is there anything better? When compared to this particular flavor, the answer is yes.

Blood covered the hallway of the Cullen home. "Bella", Edward shouted. "Are you alright"? Dusting myself off I replied, "yes". "What was that? It moved faster than I could track". "I don't know how, but that was a werewolf", Edward hissed. Alarm coated my face in an instant. "Why would that be? Was it one of Jacob's? Oh God, please tell me you did not just kill one of Jacob's wolves. If this was a member of Jacob's pack, then they were our friend, our family and we knew them". My throat felt like it would swell shut. Edward came to my side. "No Bella. This was a real werewolf, not one of the Quileute shape shifters. This is one of the children of the moon. But it is unlike any I have seen in my two hundred years. The children of the moon are fast, but not that fast. They are strong, but nothing compared to this one. Had this thing gotten to us outside of the house, it would have had the advantage and we would be the dead ones".

Edward began educating me on the details surrounding the assault. "They are never in control of themselves. They have no capacity for rational thought or logic. They are killing machines, nothing more. But this one, this one spoke to me before he attacked". I lifted an eyebrow. "I didn't hear him speak" I said. "He spoke to me in his mind Love". Edward turned his head slightly and continued. "What's more, he spoke to me, directly. He knew our names Bella. He knew I could hear him. And most importantly, he had a plan. He was armed with a lot of information about all of us, information that only an acquaintance of our family would know. He showed particular regret that Alice was not here. His plan went awry but he was determined to follow it through. He had no way of knowing that Jasper had left for a few weeks to see Peter and Charlotte. He also had no idea that the others were with the Denali's for a few months. He was committed to killing us, but he had no intention of harming Alice. He was here to take her. I do not know where to, but it was all part of a carefully laid out plan". I looked at him with confusion. "So, this werewolf was intelligent"? "No Bella, this werewolf was intelligent and fully in control of himself. There is no such thing as a free thinking child of the moon. He plotted his moves and his plan would have been executed flawlessly if our luck had not played out the way it did. I think we should call Renesme and Jacob then leave, immediately. We can go to Alaska. We will be safer if we have our family all together in one place".

The fear started to spread like a fever now. I am thankful that Renesme and Jacob were at La Push and not here visiting. "How were you able to kill him", I asked? "I heard him coming when he was within a mile of us. I heard his plan. However, I did not realize that he would close the distance between us in half the time a vampire could have. I could not determine his species by his thoughts either. He moved silently and his mind had no pattern I have ever experienced. By the time I turned to defend, he was on me. I realized that I could not protect you Bella. I could only slow him down enough for you to escape. However, I am afraid he would have caught you quickly after he killed me. He was that fast. After we crashed through the wall into the hallway, he made a mistake and exposed his throat. That was the only reason we are still alive. We are no match for that kind of power".

I looked at him, my husband, and my soul mate and saw something I have not seen in 100 years as his wife. Edward Cullen was afraid. Sure, he was fearful when the Volturi threatened to destroy our family and friends, but that was not fear for his safety. Edward was scared of this thing. Now his fear hit me full force.

Alice greeted us at the end of the road leading to the Denali house. Her visions had shown her everything. Apparently the werewolf was not immune to her gift as Jacob's pack was. She rushed to my side. "Are you OK", she said frantically? I clutched her in a hug that might have crushed her if she had been human. "We were lucky this time" I said, "but we need to gather the family and discuss what is happening. Is Jasper back from his trip"? Alice smiled with delight while retaining her sense of concern. "Yes, he is gathering everyone now. Come inside". With that, we followed Alice to the house at full speed.

Carlisle, Tonya and the rest were all sitting in the living room with worry staining their faces. Edward began the story immediately sparring them no details. "He was dispatched to destroy us. I know it makes no sense, but he was ordered to eliminate all of us with the exception of Alice". "Well, it is obvious why she was to be sparred", Emmet said. "It is obvious who is behind this as well. The Volturi are making their move in retaliation for our last confrontation. It took them long enough", he gloated with a sinister laugh. "I don't think so", Carlisle said. "How would they convince the children of the moon to do their bidding? And why would Caius allow this, given his extreme aversion to werewolves"? "Aro was fascinated with the idea of guard dogs", said Edward. "When the Quileute gave him their resounding answer, the children of the moon were the next best thing. I think the question is not whether Aro is behind this, but how".

"Do we gather all of our allies together once again", Rosalie asked? "No", Carlisle said enthusiastically. "I believe that we are the targets and it has nothing to do with misplaced justice. The Quileute pack is the only ally that will involve themselves without question. Their tie to us demands it. As much as I am obligated to discourage them, we all know what their position will be". "We are no match for the Volturi, Carlisle. You know that", Esme whimpered. "No, we are not. Not in a full on confrontation. However, we are a match for them one to one. Bella, you could overpower Jane and Alec while shielding any of us in the vicinity, Emmet, you and Jasper could deal with Felix and Demetri. One by one, each of our talents are more than a match for them. The Quileute wolves will have nothing to do. No chance of danger to their pack". "You seem to have forgotten the children of the moon Carlisle", Jasper added. "If what Edward and Bella experienced is not an isolated incident, we are all in danger and it would be suicide to go to Italy".

"What would you have us do son", Carlisle asked? "Should we stay here and wait for them to come attack us with an solid plan to destroy our family? Would it not be better to meet them with some element of surprise in our favor? Aro was my oldest friend. I know him. He is preparing his next attack as we speak". "How do we take them by surprise", Emmet asked? Carlisle responded hesitantly. "That will have to be worked out. We don't have much time until the next attack, and given Edwards information, Aro will not make the same mistake twice. He will send multiple werewolves and they will be from a stable of his best trained assassins. Also, he will surely send the most lethal members of his guard. He knows that Alice will see them coming, so his only choice is to attack with overwhelming force, a fight that we could not possibly win. They will also have multiple layers of strategy and alternative tactics. We must strike first. Call Jacob and inform him of the situation. We will need to meet with him and Sam here in Alaska. We have much to discuss. How do we all get to Italy together, how do we infiltrate the castle, how do we get them alone and will we be able to determine how Aro is doing this? There is a unknown variable here. This is not normal. We will need to begin our planning immediately. We also need to come to terms with the high probability that some of us will die, pack included. There is even the possibility that we will all be destroyed. We have no idea what they have in store for us. But as I see it, we have no choice here. Whatever is to be, it will find us together". Carlisle looked at everyone in the room, trying to gauge the mood of his family. To his suprise, there was no fear. "Yes", said Alice. "We will live or die, united". "No" Jasper exclaimed! "If we are to be destroyed, our last act of defiance with be to deny Aro the object of his conquest. I will not allow my wife to be enslaved by Aro like some kind of pet" Alice looked him directly in the eyes, her face a stone interpretation of her own defiance. "And I will not see my husband die and leave me here to mourn for eternity. We are soul mates Jazz, where you go, I go. That includes death". "Women", he mumbled.

The room filled with low murmurs of love and loyalty. We would fight for our family once more, perhaps for the last time.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Aro, are you sure that sending the werewolves to Forks all at once is a wise decision", Jane asked anxiously. "Jane, my dear, we must strike while the iron is hot. This is our time. We may not have a chance this good for another century. We will only send a few of the traditional guard to chaperone the wolves. The rest will stay here in Voltera to defend our home should there be some kind of retaliation from the Cullen's allies. With this strike, we will destroy the only threat to our coven and secure our rule for another thousand years". "You are a fool Aro. The children of the moon cannot be trusted. It is no matter that your "experiment" has shown success in harnessing their power. Injecting them with your "venom cocktail" then training them to fight as a vampire does is borderline insanity. They cannot not be trusted" I still cannot figure out why your potion does not destroy them. Our bite is lethal to their kind. We are designed to kill them." Aro's expression did not faulter under Caius's admionishment. "My dear brother, I know of your aversion to the children of the moon. Given your experience with them, it is understandable. This is why I have taken on this project myself without having to involve you. I would never want to put you in a bad position. Clear your mind of worry my friend. You only need to reap the benefits of my labor. Alice Cullen will join our ranks or die with the rest of her mutinous family".

"Master, I am not comfortable with this", Jane said. "I feel like we are setting ourselves up for a surprise attack of unimaginable force. We are not invincible as we once imagined ourselves. As long as Bella Cullen lives, my brother and I are rendered useless. We will only be able to rely on brute force and after the last conflict; I feel like the numbers that the Cullen's can bring together will be over whelming".

"My sweetling, I understand your concern, but rest assured, I have taken care of every possibility. The Cullen's, including Bella, will die. I know how much you detest her, so I will leave her destruction to you". "You make my point for me master. I am no match for Bella Cullen. I am rendered helpless without my gift and she is a larger, better trained fighter than I am. By sending me on this mission, you may as well be delivering me to my death. Am I expendable master"? "Of course not my dear, perhaps you underestimate your ability"? "She doesn't, father. Bella will kill both of us", said Alec. "She has trained for one hundred years with Emmet Cullen. She is every bit as lethal as the rest of her coven. Neither my sister nor I have ever trained to fight. There is no need with the gifts that we posess. You would deliver us to our doom". Aro smirked. "You will face Bella Cullen, you will destroy her utterly and you will return to Voltera with the wolves. You will also deliver Alice Cullen to me, undamaged. Do you understand my dear ones"? A hush fell over the throne room. "Yes Master".

"My sister, we are facing final death. You do realize this" Alex lamented? "Yes, we are. I have no illusions here. But what choice do we have. Aro is our father, our master. His wish is our command and without question. If he orders us to march and die, then that is what we do". Alex winced. "I fear that you have become a robot my sister. You and I have the right to live. I for one will not give my life for Aro's ill plotted conquest for complete domination". "You will my brother, or I will handle your insubordination myself. Our master will not be merciful. I have no choice in the matter. I must perform my duty without hesitation or I am nothing." "Jane, I love you. Does that mean nothing to you"? Jane paused and conflict covered her face. "My brother, I love you as well. I would die for you without pause. But you know that we belong to Aro, mind and body. Our freedom is limited to his eagerness for us to continue our existence". Alec scowled. "It does not have to be that way. I will not die for his foolish conquest. I was ready to die in that meadow beside you, but this is different. I do not believe in this cause. I do not harbor ill feelings for the Cullen's. I am no friend to them, but I cannot participate in their demise for no other reason that Aro's amusement. I will never hurt you my sister nor will I take up a hostile posture with my Volturi brethren. But I will not fight. I will remain neutral. That is the best I can do. I will have to leave now. My life will be in danger here. I can never return. If you choose to continue your servitude, then we will not see each other again. I have no choice. I am an individual. Not some cog in the machine". With that, Alec turned to leave the Volturi castle, for the last time. Jane's mind was on fire. She turned to run to the throne room and report this mutiny, but something stopped her. She faced Alec's back as he walked away. She took one step in that direction, straining against the pull of loyalty. With her second step, Jane Volturi was on her own, just her and her brother. No support from the Volturi, for eternity. She hung her head. "Alec is right, we are a family. The Volturi is a coven. Whatever our fate, it will find us together".


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"We will fight! Of course, you already knew that Edward". Sam sat across the table from Edward and me. The Quileute's had made it to Alaska in record time. As the alpha wolves of both packs laid out their intentions, I pleaded for them to save themselves. "We can muster our friends again. Carlisle would rather we didn't but it is a vampire issue. The Quileute's are innocent in all of this. They need not die for us"! Sam's smile was telling. "One Hundred years Bella. That is how long we have been aligned. By now, you of all people should know that we are all bound by the threads of family. You are no less a part of my family than Emily or Levi". Sam and Emily had named their only son after Sam's grandfather. Levi was a sweet man, but an inexperienced fighter. There had been no need for pack training in more than a century to my knowledge. "One more time Sam and Jacob, I beg you to reconsider". Jacob never said a word. His face was a mixture of emotion. The only one missing was fear. When it came to his family, both Pack and Cullen, there was no wavering. His ability to protect Renesme and the rest of us was only limited to his ability to breathe. He would knowingly accept death. He would draw his last knowing that Renesme still lived.

"Sam, can you prepare the younger wolves for battle quickly"? Sam nodded in response. "They are ready. Our youngest wolf is 40 years old. I know you care for us as we care for you, but this is our job Edward. It is what we are designed for. It is why we exist". "Then we should begin our preparation. We have to go to Italy. Will you leave half your pack to protect the reservation? They are your family too. Perhaps 60 wolves will prove more difficult to regiment". Edward's concern was showing now. "These are children of the moon Edward. My experience with them is vast. Trust me when I tell you this, we will need all of our pack to fight". Edward's face contorted a bit. "Sam, these are not simply children of the moon. They are some kind of intelligent hybrid. What we need is nothing short of a miracle". Jacob finaly spoke up. "I have already arranged for tribe protection. Zafrina, Kachiri and Senna along with Amun, Kebi, Benjamin and Tia will guard La Push and Forks". "What", I exclaimed! "Is that wise? They are friends to the pack, but they are traditional vampires. They feed off blood". "Well, not exactly Bella. When did you last speak with the Egyptians and Amazons"? I shook my head. "It has been over 50 years." Jacob's laughter seemed out of place. "Well, the Amazons only hunt animals now. The rain forest is a vegetarians' paradise and actually, the exotic species found there are quite tasty. I have tried it myself during my last visit". A grimace overtook my other expressions. "I am so out of the loop". "When did you go to visit the Amazons Jacob? You know what, never mind" I said. "Well, the amazons will stay on the reservation and the Egyptians will hide out in Forks. That will cover the entire area. Aman and Kebi are still traditional hunters, but Benjamin and Tia swore off human blood years ago. Amun and Kebbi, who by the way, still feel a tremendous amount of guilt for abandoning you in the meadow. Amun would give his life to make amends. You will not have to worry about your family in Forks" jacob promised. Charlie and Sue had two children. The great grandchildren still live in Forks. Ironically, David Swan was the current police chief of Forks. It is a fitting tribute to my father, who I lost 60 years ago. He finally accepted the "need to know" bunch of information and surprisingly, it made us closer. To know that we (Renesme, Edward and I) were actually healthy and safe took a huge load off his mind. I have secretly watched over my relatives over the years and ensured that they remain safe and taken care of. David was the only one that had ever met me and with the need to know clause in place, we were able to keep in touch. Charlie would have loved him. David had the face of my father and his sense of honor and devotion was a mirror image of Chief Swan's.

Edward cleared his throat. "Well, it certainly sounds like you have this all planned out Sam. I trust your judgment. When it comes to my family, I trust the pack with my life so if you feel as if this is the right thing to do, that is good enough for me". "Edward, we should work together for a few days so that we are aligned." Sam said. "We will both have our strengths and weaknesses and it would be best to go into this knowing what our jobs were." "I agree Sam. We will go to the forest and train this evening".

Running back to the big house Edward tried to comfort me. "Don't fret Bella, the pack will be fine". "I know" I said. "I guess I always knew it would come to this. My fear is Renesme". "She is an adult, Bella. She is a skilled fighter. More so than most of us. She is married to a pack alpha for goodness sake. Two of her uncles have made sure that she is more lethal than the average immortal and her fighting styles are a strong mixture of wolf and vampire. She will be fine". "She is not an adult Edward! She is my daughter. My only daughter. She will never be an adult". "You logic is flawed Love. You need to accept her maturity. She is immortal, and deserves to live her life with admiration of her parents in relation to her achievements. She has developed into a wise woman. Besides, Jake would never let her come to harm. Oh, he will let her be there, but his main priority will be to ensure that no one gets to her. I am sure she will be mad, but our daughter will probably be the safest of us all. You know how pack law works. The mate of the alpha takes precedent over all else. Any one of them would die for her".

"I guess you are right. None the less, it still concerns me and there is nothing you can do about it. I will concede that she is a wise, mature woman. I can accept that. But her life is a part of me, of both of us. My blood runs in her veins and your essence is integrated into the whole of her being. I doubt that any parents in history had the kind of relationship we have with out daughter". "You worry too much Love. I think you need a big dose of Jasper". "You would not dare", I said. A sinister laugh escaped him and he shook his head. Edward was always a good liar.


End file.
